Dealing with

FEAR & FAILURE

Making decisions: Before, during and after an event, decisions may be fraught with emotions. Disasters, large or small, can create an environment that is foreign to us.

There is much to learn from young boys and girls if we just choose to watch and listen. Not long ago I had an opportunity to learn or relearn something.

I was on a campout with my scout troop. The troop was new so this particular campout was the first for the scouts. In established troops, the elder youths will teach the younger. Being relatively new, my troop has few elder youths. Because of this, it fell to the adult leaders to teach.

Teaching comes in many forms. I was teaching the safety and use of backpacking stoves. The scouts must light and use these stoves, one of which was a gasoline stove.

A young Venture Scout had a fear of blowing up and getting burned, a very real fear of a an incredibly valid experience. However, she recognized that using proper precautions and methods eliminated or reduced the danger to within acceptable tolerances.

To reduce the dangers of being burned, while lighting a multi-fuel camp stove certain actions must be taken.

1. Choose a safe area to set up the stove.
2. Fill fuel bottle with the proper fuel. Do Not overfill.
3. Assemble the stove and place on a non-flammable, level location.
4. Before filling the pre-heating cup with fuel, have the match ready.
5. Stay upwind and beside (not over) the stove.
6. Light the match.
7. Open the valve.
8. Fill the pre-heater cup to the proper level.
9. Close valve.
10. Ignite the fuel in the pre-heat cup.
11. Allow stove to pre-heat and use.

When making decisions: If you are uncertain of the proper action: Stop, learn, and only then act. Before taking any action: Determine the correct action or deduce the consequences of each possible action.

The young Venture Scout lit the stove the first time with no ill effects. She not only learned to light and use a stove, she learned how to use fear to her benefit. She learned to use the fear response as an alert to pay attention, not as an excuse to avoid action.

Fear is something we all experience in one form or another. Fear is an old instinctive response to danger. It alerts us to be aware; it says “pay attention; danger lurks.” How we choose to respond to this fear will determine our actions.

Once the fear and the cause of the fear has been recognized, it is time for our conscious mind to take charge. Recognize the danger. Determine if the danger is un-founded or real. If it is real, can the danger be mitigated by rational actions?

Pay attention to the true cause of the fear. Fear is a very real emotion; however do not allow fear to overrule your rational mind. Use fear as a tool, rather than a limiting factor.

Once the true source of the emotion has been recognized, it is then time to use risk management assessment processes to determine your course of action.

As I said, there is much we can learn by watching and listening.

On one hot campout in August, the Buffalo River was too low to do our planned canoeing trip, so we decided to spend the time swimming.

One of my older scouts showed up to teach the safe swim defense plan and enjoy the water. Once this was done we headed for the water.

Part of the fun of swimming in a river is to create and use a rope swing. The task was to tie a rock on a messenger line and heave it over a limb.

My older scout did not wish to attempt this for fear he could not do it well enough. He had the fear he would be judged by others if he was unsuccessful.

Several attempts later by many scouts, the line was over the limb; during the process we discussed learning to walk. Infants do not run marathons. Infants first learn to roll over. Then they learn to crawl; then (with assistance) stand. At long last walk, wobbly at first but later more steady and in time they learn to walk without giving it a second thought. Finally, at last they learn to run. Each time they run, they get better and stronger. Along the way when they stumble or trip and fall they get up and try again. They (we) continue to persevere.

This method of failing, trying again, failing and trying again is accepted as the norm for babies and toddlers. At some age we forget this is the normal learning process. We accept that if we can not do it correctly at first it is not worth doing. When did we decide that a failure event is time to quit? The phrase “Try, try again” could be restated; “Fail, fail and fail, until finally you succeed.”

If as children we treated a failure event as many adults do, society would be filled with crawlers instead of walkers. In many respects society is filled with crawlers. Are you a crawler? Isn’t it time to get up and try again and again and again?

Failure is an event not a person. Failure is a learning opportunity. The only sure way to avoid failure, is to make no attempt. The only sure way to succeed, is to learn from our failures and try again.

Disasters large or small, can create an environment that is foreign to us. Situations occur, during which we must make decisions that are different than our normal day to day decisions. Understanding fear can allow us to use our fear as a tool.

Avoid making decisions based on the emotion of fear. Instead, make decisions based in fact. Use fear as a method of enlightenment.

Making poor choices during a disaster event can cause injury or death. Fear of doing the wrong thing can prevent us from doing anything. Doing nothing can be as bad as doing the wrong thing. If you choose to do nothing, do so because it is the correct thing to do, not because you fear failure or are reacting to a fear response. Understand and use the tools of failure and fear.

Make plans - even if they are partial. Pack a kit - even if it is incomplete.

Procrastination is a decision to do nothing.

Preparation is a decision to live.

For more detailed life saving information please read the Emergency Disaster Preparedness & Survival manual.

For information on using this manual as a fundraiser, click here.

Gerald lives with his wife, Lyn on their remote farm in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. A highly trained volunteer firefighter and fire service instructor, since 1989, and currently volunteers with his local fire department. He is a wilderness survival and primitive living skills expert, an Eagle scout and an adult scout leader.

Gerald's book Emergency Disaster Preparedness & Survival can be purchased on line with our secure website  at www.EmergencyDisasterPreparedness.info

or

by calling 800-524-9014.

Gerald also provides consulting on your preparedness issues.

Things To Do This Season:

Winter is coming on. Check auto supplies (page 113)

Tip:

 Buy some games or books for use in the event you loose power for several days.

Choose games that the take no power and can be played by all members of the household.

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